We researched standards and testing in public schools throughout the US. This is a common way of measuring how successful students are in a school. We looked into how students can get better test scores and why it is so important to have high stakes testing and if students are actually benefitting from these tests. Some key terms we included authentic assessment that is portfolio based work while being less focused on traditional testing methods; Common Core which is a new set of standards which attempts to provide students with clear and consistent learning goals to help prepare them for college, career, and life; PISA which is the Program for International Student Assessment which measures 15 year old student’s problem solving skills from around the world. This issue is important in educational reform because Commissioner Gist in the Rhode Island Strategic Plan are placing importance on promoting rigor and meeting benchmarks in standardized assessments. But it is important to ask if these tests are essential in helping students learn and seeing if they are effective as a whole. In 2009, a group did a similar project related to Standardized Testing, in which they researched the effectiveness and validity of testing. The link is below: https://uriteacherknowledge.wikispaces.com/Standardized+Testing
II. Description of Your Priority for our RI Strategic Plan
As we researched testing and assessments, we had a wider focus than just Rhode Island, as changes to the testing system affect the entire country. In terms of Rhode Island, all students are required to take standardized tests. Rhode Island has adopted the Common Core State Standards and plans to give these standards even more priority, as outlined in the Rhode Island Strategic Plan. We believe that the Rhode Island school system, and systems across the nation should focus more on bettering tests, so they accentuate student learning and growth. Students are truly more than their test scores. If tests were improved, then students would be given the opportunity to become better critical thinkers, thus improving the school systems and society as a whole. Additionally, since schools are so focused now on "teaching to the test," improving these tests would therefore call for a more rich curriculum in every school system.
IV. Research Summary
Ally: Are international tests effective? To a certain degree they are. I have learned that our international standardized test scores are quite behind other countries, especially in math and science scores. It is important to improve our math scores. In order to get higher scores students can focus on their critical thinking skills and their problem solving skills because that is what the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) measures which is a international test. Also, we could spend more time teaching our students math and science in order for them to achieve higher scores. But we do need to be careful when comparing US scores to other countries scores. Because there are so many different factors when contrasting, looking at two different countries scores may not be as accurate. Are these international tests effective? Yes. We are learning that our scores are poor and therefore they are telling us that there needs to be a change.
Marcy: The majority of my research was focused on what other types of assessments could be used instead of standardized tests. In the early brainstorming period of our projects, we wanted to know what the effectiveness of tests is, and if they are worth all of the time we spend and plan to spend on them with this new Rhode Island Strategic Plan. I decided to research whether or not tests are being emphasized too much, other forms of assessment, and examples of these assessments being used in U.S. schools. I found that many people believe standardized testing takes up an excessive amount of time that could be spent on instruction. Also I came across an interesting article about authentic assessment, which is focused more on the overall development of a child's identity. It was through provoking and aided in my quest for something more than Common Core.
Sara: What exactly is the Common Core State Standards? They provide clear and consistent learning goals to help prepare students for college, career, and life. The Common Core shows students what they are expected to learn at each level. Most states have adopted the Common Core State Standards and will give assessments to all students for documentation and reporting on whether or not their students are meeting the standards set. This new system not only puts more pressure on the students to preform well, but also the teachers who are held accountable about whether they improve or not. However, many people are proving to have issues with the Common Core. In March of 2014, Indiana became the first state to withdraw themselves from this new set of standards. They believe that the new standards are undermining the control of local education. The new Common Core tests are considerably harder than current state assessments which will lead to plateaus in scores and proficiency rates. With the new confusion of these more difficult standards, many more students are struggling and failing state exams. The Common Core was supposed to be a way of lifting achievement in low-performing schools, however a lot of people do not believe that it is helping at all.
Maddi: How effective is state testing/ the SAT? Overall, state testing seems to lack the purpose it's supposed to have: to assess schools, teachers, and students. The NECAP test for example doesn't even relate directly to Rhode Island's core curriculum. So not only are we not teaching to the test, but we also are using the results of the test to judge successes that aren't even fairly evaluated. In some states and school systems, state testing results determine government funding for the schools, but have no effect on students' grades and therefore will not be taken as seriously as they should be. Additionally, the SAT tests are effective but there seems to be too much stress and focus put on them when it comes to college acceptances and judging a person's intelligence based on one test. I think that schools should offer a course for preparation for the SAT exam that focuses on approaching it realistically. As it stands now, most classes for preparation are costly and through outside organizations, which turns the test into a game of money and tutoring. This takes away from the idea that testing should be fair and that everyone should have the same opportunity to prepare and do his/her best.
V. Group Product Overview
We will start with an introduction to the issue of standards and testing. Sara will then proceed to talk about Common Core, Maddi will expand upon state testing as well as the SATs, Ally will go into talking international testing and how it is effective or not, and Marcy will end with alternate forms of assessments. After our powerpoint we will have the class do a Think-Pair-Share activity, in which they choose from four provided questions (related to each of the four presenters main points), formulate their opinion, discuss it with a peer, and then share altogether.
VI. Visual Representation
Our Mind Map VII. Research Questions and Reference Summaries
VIII. Group Reaction/Opinion(s) about the issues related to this priority.
Now that you've researched your a facet of this priority, discuss your results and write two (or more) paragraphs expressing your opinions. The first paragraph should explain the majority opinion. The following paragraph should summarize other opinions held by team members about the issue.
As a group, we have all discussed the fact that we dislike standardized testing. Testing is good for data collection. However, fails to prove intelligence of students overall. Too much pressure is placed on students to perform well on these high stakes tests. These pressures take their mind away from actually learning. All of them are simply focused on filling in the correct bubble. We all agree that there should be some sort of change in our testing system.
Ally: From the perspective of international testing, standardized testing is again data collection. We have learned that we do have to improve our test scores because they are seriously lagging behind other countries. I have found this as effective because we have learned that our scores are poor and therefore serious measures need to be taken in order to improve them. Once we can better our standardized test scores I truly believe that we will successfully change our education system as well as our schools. If teachers can get more involved with test preparation or focus on critical thinking skills I think our test scores will improve. But I also think that there is a better method to measure student's intelligence and success. There are alternate assessments which I believe to be a better than standardized tests as a whole.
Marcy: I do not care for standardized tests as they exist today. As a student, I felt they were a waste of my time. While they may measure factual knowledge to a certain degree, it is by no means a perfect evaluation system. This project has really led me back to a question posed at the beginning of the semester: What is the purpose of education? We as a class came up with so many reasons other that are not factored into a NECAP or SAT test. The fact that our educational system places so much importance on tests sends a message to me that intellectual knowledge is most important. However, that is not all there is to life. That is why I like authentic assessment so much, because it shows that a deeper level of learning can take place in schools. One that can enhance their lives.
Sara: Personally, I do not believe that high-stakes testing and very challenging standards are a beneficial to students. They put far too much pressure on students and prove to have more negative factors than positives. Not all student are the same. Everyone learns at their own specific level and in in their own way. Students have to be treated as individuals and not just a score on a chart. Otherwise, they will not be given the opportunity to thrive and learn. This project made me wonder if there really could be any alternate improved methods of testing students. I believe that they should be judged individually based on what they have accomplished and their overall intelligence. This would hopefully reduce the pressure and anxiety involved in testing, but properly examining what they have learned.
Maddi: I believe that testing is a very important part of learning, but the way tests are treated in schools today weighs them as more important than the actual learning. Naturally, in a system where the end result is talked about and given more attention than the process to succeed on it, the system will fail every time. There will always be a vast majority of students willing and ready to learn, but there will never be a population that desires putting focus on something they have been set up to fail by the people they entrust with their education. School systems need to develop curricula that focuses solely on giving students the best education they can, and then create tests that are based off of these curricula that can be state-wide and therefore beneficial for everyone involved. As for the SATs, they are a successful test overall to be scored and judged when it comes to college acceptances; however, there needs to be better preparation for them provided by public schooling for free for every student during the school day, and less pressure put on students to feel as if the SAT test determines a person's intelligence.
Standards and Testing
I. Description of Problem or Issue
We researched standards and testing in public schools throughout the US. This is a common way of measuring how successful students are in a school. We looked into how students can get better test scores and why it is so important to have high stakes testing and if students are actually benefitting from these tests. Some key terms we included authentic assessment that is portfolio based work while being less focused on traditional testing methods; Common Core which is a new set of standards which attempts to provide students with clear and consistent learning goals to help prepare them for college, career, and life; PISA which is the Program for International Student Assessment which measures 15 year old student’s problem solving skills from around the world. This issue is important in educational reform because Commissioner Gist in the Rhode Island Strategic Plan are placing importance on promoting rigor and meeting benchmarks in standardized assessments. But it is important to ask if these tests are essential in helping students learn and seeing if they are effective as a whole. In 2009, a group did a similar project related to Standardized Testing, in which they researched the effectiveness and validity of testing. The link is below:https://uriteacherknowledge.wikispaces.com/Standardized+Testing
II. Description of Your Priority for our RI Strategic Plan
As we researched testing and assessments, we had a wider focus than just Rhode Island, as changes to the testing system affect the entire country. In terms of Rhode Island, all students are required to take standardized tests. Rhode Island has adopted the Common Core State Standards and plans to give these standards even more priority, as outlined in the Rhode Island Strategic Plan. We believe that the Rhode Island school system, and systems across the nation should focus more on bettering tests, so they accentuate student learning and growth. Students are truly more than their test scores. If tests were improved, then students would be given the opportunity to become better critical thinkers, thus improving the school systems and society as a whole. Additionally, since schools are so focused now on "teaching to the test," improving these tests would therefore call for a more rich curriculum in every school system.IV. Research Summary
Ally: Are international tests effective? To a certain degree they are. I have learned that our international standardized test scores are quite behind other countries, especially in math and science scores. It is important to improve our math scores. In order to get higher scores students can focus on their critical thinking skills and their problem solving skills because that is what the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) measures which is a international test. Also, we could spend more time teaching our students math and science in order for them to achieve higher scores. But we do need to be careful when comparing US scores to other countries scores. Because there are so many different factors when contrasting, looking at two different countries scores may not be as accurate. Are these international tests effective? Yes. We are learning that our scores are poor and therefore they are telling us that there needs to be a change.Marcy: The majority of my research was focused on what other types of assessments could be used instead of standardized tests. In the early brainstorming period of our projects, we wanted to know what the effectiveness of tests is, and if they are worth all of the time we spend and plan to spend on them with this new Rhode Island Strategic Plan. I decided to research whether or not tests are being emphasized too much, other forms of assessment, and examples of these assessments being used in U.S. schools. I found that many people believe standardized testing takes up an excessive amount of time that could be spent on instruction. Also I came across an interesting article about authentic assessment, which is focused more on the overall development of a child's identity. It was through provoking and aided in my quest for something more than Common Core.
Sara: What exactly is the Common Core State Standards? They provide clear and consistent learning goals to help prepare students for college, career, and life. The Common Core shows students what they are expected to learn at each level. Most states have adopted the Common Core State Standards and will give assessments to all students for documentation and reporting on whether or not their students are meeting the standards set. This new system not only puts more pressure on the students to preform well, but also the teachers who are held accountable about whether they improve or not. However, many people are proving to have issues with the Common Core. In March of 2014, Indiana became the first state to withdraw themselves from this new set of standards. They believe that the new standards are undermining the control of local education. The new Common Core tests are considerably harder than current state assessments which will lead to plateaus in scores and proficiency rates. With the new confusion of these more difficult standards, many more students are struggling and failing state exams. The Common Core was supposed to be a way of lifting achievement in low-performing schools, however a lot of people do not believe that it is helping at all.
Maddi: How effective is state testing/ the SAT? Overall, state testing seems to lack the purpose it's supposed to have: to assess schools, teachers, and students. The NECAP test for example doesn't even relate directly to Rhode Island's core curriculum. So not only are we not teaching to the test, but we also are using the results of the test to judge successes that aren't even fairly evaluated. In some states and school systems, state testing results determine government funding for the schools, but have no effect on students' grades and therefore will not be taken as seriously as they should be. Additionally, the SAT tests are effective but there seems to be too much stress and focus put on them when it comes to college acceptances and judging a person's intelligence based on one test. I think that schools should offer a course for preparation for the SAT exam that focuses on approaching it realistically. As it stands now, most classes for preparation are costly and through outside organizations, which turns the test into a game of money and tutoring. This takes away from the idea that testing should be fair and that everyone should have the same opportunity to prepare and do his/her best.
V. Group Product Overview
We will start with an introduction to the issue of standards and testing. Sara will then proceed to talk about Common Core, Maddi will expand upon state testing as well as the SATs, Ally will go into talking international testing and how it is effective or not, and Marcy will end with alternate forms of assessments. After our powerpoint we will have the class do a Think-Pair-Share activity, in which they choose from four provided questions (related to each of the four presenters main points), formulate their opinion, discuss it with a peer, and then share altogether.VI. Visual Representation
Our Mind MapVII. Research Questions and Reference Summaries
VIII. Group Reaction/Opinion(s) about the issues related to this priority.
Now that you've researched your a facet of this priority, discuss your results and write two (or more) paragraphs expressing your opinions. The first paragraph should explain the majority opinion. The following paragraph should summarize other opinions held by team members about the issue.As a group, we have all discussed the fact that we dislike standardized testing. Testing is good for data collection. However, fails to prove intelligence of students overall. Too much pressure is placed on students to perform well on these high stakes tests. These pressures take their mind away from actually learning. All of them are simply focused on filling in the correct bubble. We all agree that there should be some sort of change in our testing system.
Ally: From the perspective of international testing, standardized testing is again data collection. We have learned that we do have to improve our test scores because they are seriously lagging behind other countries. I have found this as effective because we have learned that our scores are poor and therefore serious measures need to be taken in order to improve them. Once we can better our standardized test scores I truly believe that we will successfully change our education system as well as our schools. If teachers can get more involved with test preparation or focus on critical thinking skills I think our test scores will improve. But I also think that there is a better method to measure student's intelligence and success. There are alternate assessments which I believe to be a better than standardized tests as a whole.
Marcy: I do not care for standardized tests as they exist today. As a student, I felt they were a waste of my time. While they may measure factual knowledge to a certain degree, it is by no means a perfect evaluation system. This project has really led me back to a question posed at the beginning of the semester: What is the purpose of education? We as a class came up with so many reasons other that are not factored into a NECAP or SAT test. The fact that our educational system places so much importance on tests sends a message to me that intellectual knowledge is most important. However, that is not all there is to life. That is why I like authentic assessment so much, because it shows that a deeper level of learning can take place in schools. One that can enhance their lives.
Sara: Personally, I do not believe that high-stakes testing and very challenging standards are a beneficial to students. They put far too much pressure on students and prove to have more negative factors than positives. Not all student are the same. Everyone learns at their own specific level and in in their own way. Students have to be treated as individuals and not just a score on a chart. Otherwise, they will not be given the opportunity to thrive and learn. This project made me wonder if there really could be any alternate improved methods of testing students. I believe that they should be judged individually based on what they have accomplished and their overall intelligence. This would hopefully reduce the pressure and anxiety involved in testing, but properly examining what they have learned.
Maddi: I believe that testing is a very important part of learning, but the way tests are treated in schools today weighs them as more important than the actual learning. Naturally, in a system where the end result is talked about and given more attention than the process to succeed on it, the system will fail every time. There will always be a vast majority of students willing and ready to learn, but there will never be a population that desires putting focus on something they have been set up to fail by the people they entrust with their education. School systems need to develop curricula that focuses solely on giving students the best education they can, and then create tests that are based off of these curricula that can be state-wide and therefore beneficial for everyone involved. As for the SATs, they are a successful test overall to be scored and judged when it comes to college acceptances; however, there needs to be better preparation for them provided by public schooling for free for every student during the school day, and less pressure put on students to feel as if the SAT test determines a person's intelligence.